Dawn Grillo Testimonials - Restoring Order

What a jewel I found in Dawn Grillo of Restoring Order!! We started with my incredibly cluttered home office and tubs and tubs of paper from years of saving (time capsules). I could never find what I needed and I didn’t like working in this space. With great humor and determination, Dawn pulled out her bag of tricks (organizing ideas, storage ideas, simple decorating ideas, motivational tricks, and gentle prodding) and helped me find my way through the maze of paper and cubby holes, so that I could create logical places for what needed to be kept and could get rid of what I didn’t really need. We systematized the work flow so I won’t get back into the habits that don’t support me. I liked what we did so much that we moved onto organizing the other spaces in my home. Dawn is a terrific guide through the hard work that needs to be done.

And, so, my habits have changed a little; my approach to paper has changed a lot; and my spaces are beautiful and so orderly.

I am a grateful client.

I couldn’t have done it alone! I tried for years to clean up my act and get my house organized to no avail. All I did was move stuff from one room to another, never deciding on what to do with it or where it should go. I was out of room and at my wits end. The stuff piled higher, eventually toppling from every flat surface in my house to piles on the floor.

I researched professional organizers on the internet. I found and interviewed a couple of independent people that I knew were not the right fit. Then I got to talk to Pattianne at Restoring Order. I knew this was the group I wanted to work with. The website was very organized and friendly. Pattianne was supportive and very positive from the first time I talked with her. I was disappointed that she would not be my consultant.

When Dawn came to my home the first day I felt very comfortable and knew I’d made the right choice. Dawn asked a million questions during the intake. The most important step is being honest with yourself and opening up to a stranger who’s there to help. After the intake we did some paper sorting. My living room was neater when Dawn left but I wasn’t sure about the whole process. When Dawn left we had a plan of how to “purpose” my belongings in various rooms. It seemed a little overwhelming but I wanted to get on with it.

The next appointment proved to be the turning point in getting my home (and life) in order. We identified, moved, sorted, and matched like items. We set up a donation pile which was really fun to take to Goodwill. It actually felt emancipating and empowering to get rid of things that I no longer used, needed or really wanted.

The more we got organized, the happier I was. Now it’s a real pleasure to be home and have space to move, room to play and know where things are. It’s easy to keep the house organized when everything has a place and a purpose.

I am thankful for the process but especially the wonderful people I got to meet along the way.

Sincerely,
Connie Prentice

“What a valuable experience it was working with Dawn! She got me to work out a system in my office that I think will carry me a long way in my business. Instead of imposing a system on me, Dawn taught me some basic principles and then helped me figure out how to make them work for me. She was as attentive to the big issues that drive me as she was to the details that make all the difference. She is compassionate and competent, and fun to be around. I hope to work with her again!” – Holly Burton, Keller Williams

“Thanks so much for all that you ladies have done Dawn - I can't tell you how much I appreciate it all! I have taken what I learned from you and created a laundry station in the garage - it is all on shelves and in large bins that match. The laundry was the only "chore" that wasn't under control and now it seems to be! I am delighted. The kids are delighted... It is all just terrific The whole experience with you folks has changed our lives. The kids are more relaxed and have figured out that they can pick up after themselves after all (ages 16, 7 and 5). I am more relaxed and MUCH more efficient in my house work so that I can spend more quality time with the kids as well. You all are just terrific! “ ~Lisa Larson

Dear Dawn and Restoring Order Angels,

I just received this notice from the library:

Your account has been charged for failure to return the following items. Please remit payment or contact the library as soon as possible. Unresolved account balances etc. etc. etc......... $13.85.

My son has had this book since last summer. I asked him repeatedly to go look for it. He said he had and had turned it in, he thought. I walked into his room just now, looked on his shelf under some other stuff, and bingo! there it was. So easy.

If I can teach him better by employing you to help me make myself better, every penny is well worth it!

Thank you. This "Aha!" moment has been brought to you by a truly grateful client,

Patty Farrell

After working with Dawn Grillo and Restoring Order, I can put my house on the market with only a few days notice--something that would not have been possible a year ago! I can encourage realtors to open closets and drawers without being afraid of what they might find. I am hoping to work with Dawn again in setting up our new home.

My husband is also really glad we did the organizational process!

Emily James

Hi there gal ~

The 'pink room' is just looking amazing! We left the mirrors off the wall and painted it cream to contrast w/the khaki. We brought the new table down and put curtain rods up. We love this new 'haven' for us all. I'm looking forward to finishing the craft/home school sort and then purchasing the nifty organizer drawers for it all (process before product). The kids are going to freak out when they get to go downstairs and paint a picture w/ease. I love it!

Naaman slept in his bedroom for the first time in about 2 months!! He stayed in there all night! He was thrilled to be able to look at his books with his bedside table lamp on. He played in his room with his train table and car tracks, then wooden blocks all afternoon. He loves it!!!! He popped up this a.m. and got his own clothes out of his cleaned up drawers and made his bed!!!!!! We were in shock here. I picked up a burnt orange fitted sheet for his bed (he loves orange) and got some valence curtains for his window. It looks great!

Thank you for spending time here with us. I really cannot believe how much it has motivated us all to work on our home; donating stuff, throwing away garbage and fixing broken stuff. The peace is returning to our lives. You are such a catalyst for the peace!

You are VERY good at what you do Dawn. A blessing to many my friend.

I'm looking forward to our next session with you for sure.

Thanks again ~
Kara and family

Hi Dawn,

I am absolutely thrilled with my new office space and craft area! :) You definitely exceeded my expectations and helped me create a new way of being in my work life. You were also fun to work with -- I needed someone who was fun but could be firm when necessary, but not too much! That fits my "learning style," to put it into "educationalese." I feel my goals of creating a physically easy environment which helps me to maintain focus, as well as a process for handling the items involved in my myriad interests has been achieved. Actually, I think I exceeded my expectations, too.

Pepper Kim

I have had the pleasure of working with Dawn Grillo of Restoring Order on several projects in my home. I was so impressed with what Dawn showed our teen aged son and how she helped him organize his work/study area that I knew it would only be a matter of time before I would make an appointment for my areas as well.

I have always considered myself an organized person, but with Dawn’s help, the paper flow through my home office makes much more sense. My desk is cleaner, files are streamlined, and my office is a friendlier place to visit. I actually get through my work faster and have time to get to the projects that I never could find time to get to before. The system that we set up is not only easy to use, but easy to maintain as well.

Working with Dawn is a great way to organize not just your work area, but your life as well. You start thinking about why you keep what you have, what you really need, and what is important. You make it work for you. Our family now has all the important info it needs in organized binders (we have five!) by the phone in the kitchen.

At first, the thought of starting some of the projects in my office and home seemed daunting, but with Dawn’s help, they have actually been fun. Not only does Dawn have outstanding organizing and listening skills, but she has an amazing attitude and a great sense of humor as well. Working with Dawn has truly restored order to my life, and I look forward to working with her on future projects.

Sincerely,
Laurie E. Kelly

Dawn, you’ve solved more problems than you know. You very kindly spent the better part of 3 days working with me in my home office, which has been something of a disaster area since we moved into the house several years ago.

Organization and workflow have always been a challenge for me, but you attacked my mountains of paper with gusto, creating logical and functional systems that are much easier to keep clutter free. The new design has greatly enhanced my productivity. For example: on the first day after we finished, on entering the revitalized space, I was actually able to see my desk! Instead of mounds of various and assorted stuff, I have clearly delineated folders, files and working areas.

Working collaboratively, you helped ME to design and optimize my work and living space in ways that work best for me.

That, I believe is the key. You didn’t do it for me, we did it together. You didn’t impose a rigorous set of rules and catch phrases—although you clearly have many in your bag of tricks. (I couldn’t believe it when you reached into it and pulled out a hammer! I suspect that if you’d needed a chainsaw, that would have been in there too.)

Your expert approach opened doors that I didn’t even know I had. Raising my computer monitor by almost a foot, for example, has made for a much more comfortable work day. We are excited by your suggestions about how to further enhance the room with changes to the color scheme, and will have to invite you back for a look when that part of the job is done.

You clearly love what you do, and your focus and enthusiasm helped me to tackle a task that I have simply been unable to face before. Together we undid literally years of backlog, and the results will reverberate for a long time to come. My wife is especially pleased. Before, she couldn’t bear to use the office. Now, we’ll both be better able to enjoy the space, and get twice as much done!

Thanks for everything.

All the best,
Dave Boe

My desire to run a number of businesses left me no time to work on the organizing of each independently. I was spread out all over my house with piles of papers combining each business and included my personal life. I didn't know where to start and had no desire. Dawn brought life back to my home office. She was a locomotion! Very attentive to all my info, so organizing felt like she had known me for a long time. Her knowledge and fun spirit helped me to get everything in order. I love it! I have a new peace of mind!
Thanks Dawn. You're a blessing.

Judy Berrett
Realtor

At the completion of our work together, and as I continue to work on projects and fine-tune my spaces and systems, these words come to mind: gratitude, relief, satisfaction, joy, purged, less encumbered, unblocked, flow, harmony, orderly, free to move forward in life. I enjoy being in my home, the study in particular, and although there are still projects to tackle, they are not overwhelming any more. In fact, I am energized to get them done, to take the space to the next level of enjoyment. I feel clearer about what I want to do with my life, and feel like there is emotional, mental and physical space for accomplishment. I don't feel burdened by the backlog.

I am indebted to Dawn, who I deeply appreciate for her sensitive, trustworthy, good-humored, patient, and FOCUSED help and teaching. She had just the right balance of giving me the emotional and mental space I needed to do the work and absorb the process, but also kept everything consistently and constantly moving forward. No easy task, especially as it was so easy to get re-overwhelmed at every possible step! Would you please give her a raise?

Not only did the work get done, and to a degree and result that was better than I ever imagined or hoped for, but now there is no turning back. I understand how to do this for myself and am applying the concepts to both maintenance and new projects

Yes, this work changed my life, and for the better!

For the first time in my life, I use everything I have, know where everything is, and everything is easy to access. Plus, I understand the process and can use it to maintain the results, and have already applied it to other situations. I feel clearer, “lighter" and unencumbered without the huge backlog that was dragging me down. I feel like I can get on with my life in a freer way.

Wenndi Friyder

This was the BEST gift I have ever given my husband. Dawn you have the perfect personality for what you are doing...... fun, direct, and courageous. Our cluttered, stacking, whacky habits are beginning to crumble before our eyes. You have given us tools for organizing that will last a life time.

Blessings,
The Semlick's

It started out as a threat. My lovely children were having a horrible time keeping their rooms clean. Toys, clothes, mementos were literally spilling out of the doorways into the hallways. My periodic cleansing only helped for short periods of time and I was tired of being the point man on other people's stuff. So I gave the children a deadline and told them that they either had to get on top of the problem or I was bringing in professional help and they would pay for it out of their allowance. Well, the deadline came and went and so I recruited Dawn from Restoring Order to create order from chaos.

The first day Dawn displayed patience, tact, and flexibility in helping my 13 year old daughter transition her room from that of a child to that of a teen. Beanie Babies were lovingly packed away and music, books, and art took center stage. Her room is now pleasurable to be in and more appropriate for this new phase in her life. On Dawn's second day, we tackled the playroom which had become the dump room.

But with Dawn and Jean's help, we sorted through the mess and created an inviting space for play and recreation. What I had been dreading for months took only 2 hours to master.

We used the remainder of the allotted time to organize my oldest son's bedroom-eliminating the "stash under the bed" storage system that had he had apparently used since birth.

Out of only two sessions time, we now have a useable playroom and clean bedrooms and lots of helpful hints for other problem areas in our home. Restoring Order is a service I would highly recommend. It was certainly a sanity saver for us.

Amy Swingen

Hi Dawn,

I just wanted to tell you how great it is to have these 3 rooms organized. I still love my office. I actually don't mind doing laundry now. I didn't imagine being organized would make me feel that way. I think it's because there is surface area to fold the clean laundry in the laundry room, instead of dragging baskets through out the house. The playroom is also great. I find myself taking the basket of toys, that accumulate downstairs, upstairs once every 2 or 3 days. It's funny, the toys never exceed the size of the basket. I find that my son just plays with the toys in the basket until I put them away. Then out come different toys.

I'm going to see what I can do with the rest of my house over the next couple of months, but may call upon your services again.

Thanks again, Laura

Dear Dawn -

I just wanted to say THANK YOU so much for setting up my office. Moving offices can be a daunting task. I planned an entire weekend to get unpacked and moved into my new office, but with your expertise and efficiency, it only took one short afternoon.

I'm especially pleased with the intuitive filing system that really helps keep me organized and allows me to find things so much faster than I did before. I've received a lot of comments on the way you arranged the furniture too.

The small investment I made in hiring you pays me back everyday! Thank you very much!"

Sincerely,
Eric Evoniuk
Mortgage Loan Officer, Mortgage Market, Vancouver, WA

Hi Jean and Dawn, Just wanted to say a very big thank you again and tell you that I was able to dump off the garage sale items @ my sister-in-law's garage that very afternoon, despite the fact that they were out of town!! My husband was concerned about my just dumping it off, but, My father-in-law said it was okay and helped me unload it all!! YEAH!! Now, am ready to enjoy a few sewing projects AND finish my current book before tackling the next room: our Bedroom/my closet ! Again, thanks a million!!!!
Best wishes, Lisa